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WORK VISA


Are you expanding your company abroad and into Ireland? Whether you plan to make the move with a talented team of existing employees or open positions to applicants around the world, many of your employees will need a visa to legally live and work in Ireland. The process of obtaining these visas can be a bit complex depending on your employees’ country of origin and the nature of the work they’ll be doing for your company. The system in Ireland favors citizens of European countries, but it’s still possible to obtain visas for employees outside of Europe. Globalization Partners can help.


Your Options are:

Types of Visas

Like other countries within the European Union (EU), Ireland allows citizens of EU member nations to work without a special permit or visa. Citizens of countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland are also eligible to work in Ireland without a visa. Anyone else will require a work permit issued by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI).

There are several different types of permits for individuals from outside of Europe who are planning to stay in Ireland and legally work. Here are a few that may be relevant to your employees:

  • Critical skills employment permit: This permit is available for employees who have a job offer or employment contract to work in Ireland in a role that pays a minimum of €60,000 per year, or a minimum of €30,000 per year if the job is a high-skill occupation in Ireland.
  • Spouse/partner/dependent permit: This Irish working visa may be obtained by the spouse, dependent (under 18 years old), civil partner, or recognized partner of an individual with a Critical Skills Employment Permit.
  • Reactivation permit: An employee may be eligible for a reactivation permit if they previously had a work visa in Ireland and left the program. There are a few other requirements as well, including an employment offer that isn’t a domestic setting job.
  • Working holiday visa: This Irish work permit is available for individuals traveling to Ireland for up to one year who plan to work during their stay. To be eligible, they must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and be a citizen of a select nation: New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Chile, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Japan.
  • Intra-company transfer permit: This visa applies to employees of multinational companies who are coming to a branch in Ireland. Eligibility depends on the employee’s salary and the length of their employment term.

Requirements to Obtain an Irish Work Visa

Ireland has strict requirements for individuals outside of the EU and EEA countries. Work visas will only be granted for high-skill work or employment where there is a shortage of skills in Ireland. An employment contract or job offer is also required before your employees can apply for a work permit

What Is the Process for Obtaining a Work Visa in Ireland?

Your employees should apply for a visa three months before traveling to Ireland. Before applying for a work visa, they must also apply and qualify to receive immigration permission to work in Ireland.

Employees will need to fill out and submit the visa application online. They must then submit their passport and other identifying documents for processing. Details about where to send these documents will be available during the application process.

Upon approval, your employees will need to present their passport, employment contract, and other supporting documents to be allowed entry into Ireland. Finally, they must register with immigration and apply for permission to stay in Ireland.

Other Unique Considerations

Employees from countries within the EU and EEA do not need a permit to work in Ireland, but they still need to provide evidence that they have a job or sufficient funds to support themselves within three months. Your employees should also be aware that a valid multi-entry visa is necessary if they plan to leave Ireland for a short time and then return.

Benefits of working in Ireland

  • Growing economic development: Top companies like- Pfizer, Apple, Facebook, Google, Intel chose Ireland as their base in Europe. With such a developed and innovative employment infrastructure, it is indeed one of the sought-after countries for foreign nationals to get employed in Ireland and get themselves acquainted with the raging economic development.
  • English speaking country: Since Ireland is an English-speaking country, an international student won’t feel alienated while living and working here. Moreover, Ireland’s close economic and educational ties with English speaking countries, like the UK and the US makes it a more favorable destination for international job seekers to live and work in Ireland.
  • Accessible public healthcare: Ireland’s public healthcare is funded by general taxes, hence anyone living in Ireland can access this facility without any additional charges.
  • Secure and friendly inhabitants: Ireland ranks 12th in the 2020 Global Peace Index indicating the low crime rates of Ireland. Moreover, the friendly and welcoming inhabitants of Ireland help foreign nationals to assimilate and integrate with the Irish culture and habits.

Ireland work permit requirements

Requirements for the work permit are :

  • One must have a job offer or work contract from an Irish business establishment.
  • In case, a foreign national is applying for General Employment Permit, the annual salary must be minimum €30,000.
  • If one is applying for Critical Skills Employment Permit, the minimum annual salary must be within €30,000 or €80,000, depending on the type of occupation.
  • If one is applying for any other job other than the Critical Skills Employment, the employer must pass the Labour Markets Needs Test, which is to ensure that the Irish employer did not find any suitable Irish or EU/EEA/Swiss citizen for the job and hence he is hiring a foreign national.
  • The annual minimum salary must meet the National Minimum Wage.
  • For an employer to hire a foreign national it is imperative for the employers to be of Irish or EU/EEA/Swiss nationality.

Ireland Work Visa Duration and Renewal

The Ireland Work Visa is valid for 90 days, however, the validity of one’s work visa also depends on the type of work permit. Usually, Ireland Work Permits are issued for 24 months initially and can be renewed for a maximum of 5 years. During that time, one can apply for permanent residency in Ireland. An Irish work permit can be renewed through EPOS.